Toph, the Matchmaker
by ponyboycurtiss
Summary: It doesn't matter if you're in the same room as her or not, Toph can always "see" what's going on. And sometime she intervenes. Why? Friendship. Besides, Toph has her own favorite pairing too… Written as 6 moments. All moments take place during Book 3: Fire.


**Toph, the Matchmaker**

Toph has her own favorite pairing too…

Written as 6 moments.

All moments take place during Book 3: Fire.

* * *

The 1st Moment takes place after the end of Chapter 12: "The Western Air Temple."

Zuko is restless in the middle of the night. For some reason, Sokka is restless as well. He finds Zuko in the courtyard by accident. They talk, but Toph has another idea…

* * *

Toph sat with her back against the wall, her legs bent in front of her, feet planted firmly on the ground. The expression on her face was not unlike the one Momo made when he was listening to something the rest of the group was too human to hear: intensely focused, and a little distant. Why was he moving around? Everyone else was sleeping, so what was he doing by himself in the courtyard?

Looking back, she had, of course, been able to feel immediately how genuine his intentions were. And, scorched feet aside, she was prepared to eventually like him. But his were not the only intentions to which she was paying attention. Sure, she could tell if someone was lying. Their pulse rate changed. Their tone of voice, the cadence of their speech often changed as well. Small differences, but without sight to distract her, Toph's hearing was better than most. Lying was easy to identify. But so was love—infatuation, lust, whatever it was, she could feel that, too. It wasn't always as obvious, but she could tell, and usually before you could. Sadness was tricky. Melancholia, ennui, depression, they were all difficult. But if you were as talented as Toph, and paid enough attention, even these became obvious.

So, what was he doing up all alone? He could use some company. Hands held out in front of her, she shifted her right heel slightly to the left. A minute later, she wore a satisfied smile. If only she could hear things from as far away as she could see them. A few minutes later and she was grumbling to herself. "Come on. Closer. Do it. Come on." With a determined stamp from her left foot, a satisfied grin once again washed across her face.

Sokka awoke to find his bed was significantly lumpier than it was a few hours earlier when he had fallen asleep.

He peaked under the mattress to find several pokey-looking bits of rock sticking out of the flat stone floor of the Air Temple. Weird…you'd think they'd have gotten rid of those when they built the temple. He brushed it out of his mind with an "oh well" and, scratching his head, decided to have a quick walk around the courtyard to stretch his sore muscles before pulling the mattress to another corner of the room and trying to fall asleep again.

"Oh, I, uh," Sokka stammered upon seeing Zuko standing in the courtyard. "I'll just…_yeah_…" Sokka began baking out when he heard Zuko ask him to wait.

"It's not as though I made this decision lightly," Zuko said quietly.

Sokka felt uncomfortable. He couldn't leave now, even if he thought it might be for the best. Sokka was not very good at being empathetic. He often lacked the self-awareness to successfully understand his own feelings—how should he be expected to understand other people as well? Tentatively, he walked forward to where Zuko was standing, looking out at the canyon in which the Air Temple was located. The moonlight illuminated his face, and Sokka for the first time thought of Zuko as someone who was able to be sad. Unsure of what to do exactly, he put what he hoped was a reassuring hand on Zuko's shoulder.

"I'm sure it wasn't easy," Sokka ventured, carefully.

"I always thought what I was doing would make me happy. But I was just left disillusioned and confused." Zuko paused. His voice had cracked. Sokka squeezed the prince's shoulder, encouraging him to continue. "For so long, I let myself be brainwashed into thinking my destiny was already written for me. But I don't think it is anymore."

When Sokka thought about Zuko's confession, it made sense. Zuko was the prince by birth, not by choice. He had likely had every moment, every feeling and choice planned out for him since he was a child. It was hard enough to try and find out for yourself what your place is in the world is, Sokka could only imagine what Zuko was dealing with.

"I feel so bad for chasing you guys," Zuko continued. "I feel so much regret for all that I put you through. I feel stupid for not being able to see earlier that I was on the wrong side. I was so angry…" Zuko let his voice trail off, letting his unfinished thought hang in the nighttime air.

"Hey, not argument here," Sokka said, raising his hands in the air. "You were _preeeetty_ pissed off."

Zuko looked over at Sokka for the first time since Sokka had entered the courtyard. He looked like he was going to start an argument, but he stopped. He let out a snort and a smile crossed his lips before he could turn away.

Sokka wasn't about to let the snicker go unnoticed. "What?" he asked, argumentatively.

"I…never mind," Zuko said, turning to leave. Sokka stopped him, grabbing his shoulder and swinging Zuko around so that they were standing face to face.

"What?" Sokka asked again, this time his tone more curious.

"I've just never seen you without your hair all…" Zuko made a gesture with his hand that Sokka supposed was meant to represent his wolf tail.

"Oh, yeah, I guess not," Sokka said self-consciously, suddenly very aware of the hair that was falling into his eyes.

"You look different," Zuko observed softly.

Sokka felt like blushing when suddenly, he fell forward. With an awkward "_aaack_" Sokka fell onto Zuko, pinning him against the cold stone floor of the courtyard. "Sorry," Sokka apologized. "I guess I tripped." Zuko's face was mere inches away from his own. Sokka had the overwhelming urge to touch the prince's scar. He wanted to know what it felt like. Did it still hurt? Could he still feel it when people touched it? Did people ever touch it? Did Zuko even touch it? Sokka summoned all of his self-control and with great effort managed to keep his hands to himself.

"How do you trip while standing still?" Zuko asked slightly perturbed. He shoved Sokka off, successfully interrupting the water tribe boy's train of thought.

"Oh, uh, sorry," Sokka apologized again. Sokka was surprised when Zuko offered his hand, helping him to stand up.

Zuko looked at Sokka for a moment. Just as Sokka was about to make a smart remark, Zuko reached out and brushed some dust off of Sokka's shoulder. "Idiot," Zuko muttered. Sokka thought he saw a smile creep across his lips before he turned around and left the courtyard.

"Jerk!" Sokka managed once he was alone. Flustered, he walked back to his room to try—with limited success, as it turned out—to fall back asleep.

* * *

The 2nd Moment takes place between Chapter 12: The Western Air Temple" and Chapter 13: "The Firebending Masters."

Zuko worries if he will be able to teach Aang firebending. He confides in Sokka.

* * *

Looking out over the canyon, Zuko again remembered visiting the temple with his Uncle. Everything seemed to remind him of his Uncle. Therefore, everything made him feel guilty and sad. Hearing footsteps, he turned his head slightly, and with a sidelong glance, saw Sokka lumbering into the courtyard. His hair was down again, and as he yawned, scratching his head like a tiger monkey, Zuko wondered how they could be the same age, but Sokka was so care-free, while he was crushed by the weight of a century's worth of familial guilt.

Zuko returned his gaze to the canyon and waited to see if Sokka would join him for the second night in a row. A rough clap on the back answered his question.

"I'm nervous," Zuko confessed. He waited for a reaction.

"About what?" Sokka asked. "Is Katara bothering you? She's just not as _emotionally mature _as some of us are." Sokka gestured at himself and Zuko when he said "us."

"I don't know if I'm all that emotionally mature," Zuko countered.

"Well, certainly, not as much as _me_, but you beat Katara any day of the week. At least you understand why you feel the way you do. Or try to understand."

"Why don't you hate me?" Zuko asked bluntly.

"Hey, who said I didn't?" Sokka's tone was light. Zuko looked over at Sokka, and saw his face suddenly looked contemplative. "I guess I am able to separate my anger for what has happened to me, and my family, and my friends, from my anger at you specifically."

"What anger do you feel towards me, specifically?" Zuko asked, prepared to be hurt by the answer.

"You followed us around, trying to kill or capture us. You made our lives hell for a long time. You came to our home…" Sokka stopped.

"I don't think I'll ever be able to explain how sorry I am about that. About everything I've put you through," Zuko whispered. He walked over and sat down on the edge of the fountain and let his head fall into his hands. "I know it's selfish, but I really want people to be able to look at me for what I am now, and not what or who I've been."

"That _is_ pretty selfish," Sokka noted, sitting down next to Zuko on the fountain. Zuko felt Sokka's hand resting on his back, between his shoulder blades. He didn't move, for fear Sokka would take his hand away. "But being selfish is good…sometimes…" Sokka continued. His tone lacked the authority necessary to make his assertion sound valid or true, but Zuko appreciated that he was trying. "Without selfish people, the world would come to a standstill."

Zuko laughed. Looking over at Sokka, he said, "So, when I see you taking a third helping of food at lunch tomorrow, I should really be thanking you for keeping the world turning."

"I'm basically a hero," Sokka said with feigned self-importance. Zuko laughed again.

Toph smiled as she crept back to her room. "I knew they would make good friends," she murmured to herself as she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The 3rd Moment takes place between Chapter 13: "The Firebending Masters" and Chapter 14: "The Boiling Rock, Part 1."

Aang had said, "It's like the monks used to tell me. Sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt by the present." These words haunted Zuko.

* * *

Sokka jumped out of his bed with a yelp. It was like the floor had just kicked him in the butt. Cautiously, he peered under his mattress. The floor was as smooth as glass. Baffled, he figured he would take a bit of a stroll around the Air Temple to calm his nerves before trying to fall asleep again. He had spent plenty of time exploring while Aang and Zuko had been off on their firebending adventure of bonding and fire. Sokka knew he felt jealous that Aang got to go on a cool adventure with Zuko, but he wasn't quite sure if it was the "cool adventure" he was jealous of, or if it was the "with Zuko." Choosing to ignore his feelings, he stumbled around in the dark until he found a room with a window. Staring up at the moon, he sighed. _Yue_. Every time he saw the moon, he thought of her. She was always watching over him. It made it hard to forget her. Not that he wanted to. But it she was ever-present, and that made it hard for Sokka to put her out of mind for longer than a day at a time.

As Sokka surveyed the room he was standing in, he of course saw Zukko slumped in the far corner, just out of the moonlight. _Why is it I always run into him in the middle of the night?_ Sokka wondered. It seemed to him that Zuko was always being sad and alone in the middle of the night. He felt bad for him. At least after his adventure with Aang, he was becoming less awkward to be around. But it seemed he still had his fair share of unresolved feelings to process.

Sokka flopped down next to Zuko noisily and waited with as much patience as he could handle—which wasn't much—before finally breaking the silence. "_Soooooo_…?" Sokka asked in his sing-song-y way, leaning towards Zuko, his face expectant.

Zuko sighed. "It's what Aang said the other day."

"What did he say?"

"Sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt by the present." Zuko quoted. "It's true. I can feel my grandfather's shadow hanging over me all of the time."

Sokka nodded, mouth agape, not really knowing what to say.

"I'm just afraid that what my shadow will feel like in the future," Zuko continued, apparently taking no notice of Sokka's somewhat-stupid expression (for which Sokka was grateful.) "If we do defeat my father, and I become Fire Lord, I don't want people to look back on me the way I look back on Fire Lord Sozin."

"I don't think there's too much worry of that happening," Sokka said. "There's too many of us around now to stop you before you become _that _terrible."

Zuko chuckled. Sokka smiled.

"Hey, I want to show you something." Sokka jumped to his feet and grabbed Zuko by the wrist, pulling him up as well.

"What?"

"Just follow me," Sokka commanded. Still holding Zuko's wrist, he lead him out of the room they had been sitting in and through a series of hallways and stairways. A few minutes later they arrived in a courtyard that had become overrun with flowering vines in the years since its abandonment. In the moonlight, the white flowers seemed to glow. Zuko looked impressed. Sokka brushed the hair out of his eyes and looked up at Yue. _It's her light that makes this place look so beautiful,_ Sokka thought to himself.

"I found this while exploring the other day," Sokka began. "You know, while you and Aang were off doing fire dances or whatever." He paused, waiting for Zuko to respond to his provocation. When he didn't, Sokka noticed he was still holding onto Zuko's wrist. Dropping it, he slowly walked across the vine-covered floor of the courtyard. Preoccupied by the moon, Sokka tripped on one of the vines and fell flat on his face. He heard Zuko's laughter and felt his face flush. Struggling, he managed to stand up again and saw that Zuko was still chuckling. Ignoring the prince, he walked around the courtyard, now watching closely where he was walking. He paused at the far side, looking out into the canyon. Carefully, he peered out over the edge, looking at the vines as they trailed off into the blackness below.

Sokka turned and managed not to jump when he saw Zuko right behind him. Sokka didn't say anything, instead just standing, feeling uncomfortable in the silence, shifting his weight from one leg to the other. Zuko reached out and brushed the hair on the left side of Sokka's head. Sokka was frozen. Zuko pulled his hand back, and presented with a flourish a clump of leaves.

"I was laughing because this was stuck in your hair. You looked stupid." Zuko chuckled. "Plus you falling was funny, too."

Sokka shook his head violently, just in case there were any leaves left over. Looking back up a Zuko, he asked, "Are they all gone?"

"They were all gone before, idiot," Zuko said. Sokka thought his tone sounded like he was teasing. "Now your hair just looks stupid."

Sokka busily mussed with his hair as they both walked back to their rooms. Zuko just laughed at him.

* * *

The 4th Moment takes place between Chapter 15: "The Boiling Rock, Part 2" and Chapter 16: "The Southern Raiders."

Seeing Sokka and Katara reunited with their father brings up unwanted feelings in Zuko. This time, Toph has a different person in mind to help Zuko.

* * *

Hakoda winced as he felt a sharp pain in his leg. Sitting up from where he had been sleeping, he groggily looked around at the circle of people sleeping around the remnants of a fire. He nearly jumped when he saw Toph standing at the end of his bedroll. He gave her a quizzical look, but they remembered she was blind. Sighing, and wiping his tired eyes, he leaned forward.

"What is it?" He asked wearily.

Toph pointed towards the edge of the courtyard. She never looked where she was pointing. It kind of creeped Hakoda out. He looked over to see Zuko standing by himself. "He needs someone to talk to," Toph stated matter-of-factly.

Hakoda sighed again. Standing up, he slowly made his way over to the edge of the courtyard. _In the moonlight, the canyon looks much bigger,_ Hakoda thought. Awkwardly, he approached Zuko and stood for a moment. If Zuko noticed his presence, he didn't let on.

"Is something bothering you?" Hakoda asked carefully. He didn't know much about Zuko. But he knew who he was, and who his father was. And what he had done in the past. But Zuko had saved him. He had risked his life and fought against his own sister and in order to save him. Hakoda was willing to give Zuko every chance to prove himself a good person, even if his daughter was too closed minded to see why it was necessary. He sighed again, pushing thoughts of his qualms with Katara's behavior aside.

"Don't worry about it," Zuko said eventually. Hakoda just waited, standing next to Zuko. They looked out in silence for a long time. Zuko was the first to break the silence. "I'm glad I could help you reunite with your family."

Hakoda nodded. "I'm glad for it, too." A spark of understanding lit off in his mind. _This must be difficult for him, _Hakoda thought. Assisting in the attempt to murder your own father must be difficult to deal with. And the prospect of ruling a people who might think you had betrayed them. Hakoda did not envy the prince. He pitied him. He looked so young in the moonlight, not much older than his own son. Hakoda did not even want to think about how such a young child was being forced to make such adult decisions.

"I can't even imagine how difficult this is for you," Hakoda finally said. Zuko looked over at him with an odd expression.

"That's…not what I expected to hear from you," Zuko confessed. "I've done terrible things. I have hurt a lot of people. There are not many people in this world who worry about how difficult things are for me."

As a father, that broke Hakoda's heart.

"People don't like to believe it, but things are rough all over," Hakoda said finally. "As the Chief of the Southern Water Tribe, I've made my share of bad choices. Maybe not on the same scale as you, but bad nonetheless. As a leader, it takes a lot of humility to admit that you're wrong, because those wrong decisions affect people other than yourself."

"But I'm not a leader," Zuko protested quietly.

"You will be. I do believe Aang will be able to defeat your father. And when you succeed him, you will be making a lot of important decisions that will affect a lot of people."

Zuko shivered.

Hakoda paused. "It makes me feel better knowing that you understand the gravity of what it means to be wrong." Hakoda patted Zuko's shoulder with as much reassurance as he could convey in such a small gesture. Yawning, he returned to his bedroll and quickly returned to a deep slumber.

* * *

The 5th Moment takes place before the beginning of Chapter 17: "The Ember Island Players."

"Ember Island is a magical place. Keep an open mind. Give it a chance. And it can help you understand yourselves and each other. The beach has a magical way of smoothing even the most ragged edges."

"Like waves washing away the footprints on the sand, Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate. Ember Island reveals the true you."

What Lo and Li said stuck with Zuko.

Adjusting to hiding in the Fire Lord's own house is difficult for Sokka. It's weird for Zuko too. They go for a walk on the beach. Will they discover their true selves?

* * *

In spite of what everyone else might believe, Zuko was just as uncomfortable in his father's house as they were. He didn't have a lot of positive memories of things or places associated with his father. It made his insomnia worse than ever. Frustrated, he rolled out of bed and walked outside. The crisp nighttime air felt refreshing against his face. It helped him forget about the memories he had of this place. Of the last time he visited…

Zuko eventually found himself on the beach. Sitting on the sand, he sighed as he looked out over the water in front of him. The waves crashing quietly on the shore. He suddenly remembered something Lo and Li had said to him once. "The beach has a magical way of smoothing even the most ragged edges." _Maybe it will smooth out my edges better this time than last time._ Zuko thought, with a hint of bitterness. He was surprised to hear footsteps in the sand behind him. Turning he was surprised to see Sokka.

"You too, huh?" Sokka said wearily, dropping down onto the sand beside Zuko.

Zuko laughed. "I kind of figured you and Suki would be, um, otherwise occupied at a time like this," Zuko confessed.

Sokka sighed in exasperation. "You and me both. Katara may or may not have seen me sneaking around in the house. I _told_ her I was _just going to go for a walk on the beach_. She stood watching me as I left."

Zuko chuckled. He laid back in the sand like Sokka and they spend several minutes in silence looking up at the moon. "I think I get it now."

"What's that?" Sokka asked.

"Why you always stare at the moon."

"Oh, yeah, that."

"I must be difficult."

"Kind of is."

Zuko laughed quietly and Sokka rolled over, casting the prince an accusatory glance.

Zuko relented. "I was just thinking how hard it would be to move on if your ex-girlfriend were watching you all the time. If you and Suki took a walk on the beach right now, it would be like she's watching you."

Sokka managed a half-smile. "Yeah, it's pretty rough."

Zuko continued to stare at Sokka. His hair was pulled back in that stupid ponytail. Zuko reached forward and laughed to himself as he saw Sokka brace himself. With one hand, he untied Sokka's hair and watched as it fell down on either side of his face.

Seeing the confused look on Sokka's face, Zuko explained, "I can't talk to the Sokka with that stupid hairdo. The Sokka with this hair is the one I like to talk to."

Zuko rolled over and ignored Sokka's ensuing comments about his "wolf tail" and "tradition" and how a "jerk-bender" like Zuko wouldn't understand. Zuko smiled. He liked pushing Sokka's buttons. It was so easy, and you always got the results you expected.

Suddenly he felt Sokka jump on top of him. For a minute, the teens forgot themselves and rolled down the beach wrestling with all the strength they could muster. Zuko had been caught off guard, or at least that's the reason he gave himself for why Sokka was able to pin him so easily.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Zuko relented. "Your wolf tail is super watery and tradition something."

Sokka didn't respond. He instead reached out tentatively and placed the tips of his fingers on Zuko's scar. Zuko froze. He never touched his scar. He didn't like to think about how it was there. Nobody had ever touched it before. Not that he could remember. Not since his Uncle had to change the dressings on it. Sokka seemed not to notice Zuko's paling skin—thought it was quite pale already—or that he had stopped breathing all together. He suppressed any rage he was feeling. He just waited. Waited to see what Sokka would do. Sokka traced its outline with his finger. He softly traced where an eyebrow would be. He put his whole hand against the side of Zuko's face. And then something snapped. And Sokka's face flushed. He rolled off of Zuko and awkwardly started to crawl away. Zuko reached over and grabbed one of Sokka's ankles. Yanking as hard as he could he pulled Sokka back towards him before jumping and pinning Sokka underneath him. Looking down on Sokka just as Sokka had looked down on him a moment before, Zuko's expression was questioning.

Sokka's face was still flush red. Gingerly, Zuko pushed the hair out of Sokka's eyes before climbing off of Sokka and sitting next to him. "Sorry," Sokka muttered, embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it."

"That was weird," Sokka continued. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you don't like people touching it."

Zuko paused. "Nobody has wanted to touch it before…"

"Really?" Sokka asked, sounding genuinely surprised.

Zuko nodded.

"Well, I did," Sokka admitted sheepishly. "I've wanted to touch it for a long time."

"Why?"

"It just looks really cool. And painful." Sokka paused. "And beautiful. Like a painting."

It was Zuko's turn to flush. He chuckled as he remembered something else Lo and Li had said. "Ember Island is a magical place. Keep an open mind. Give it a chance. And it can help you understand yourselves and each other."

"What?" Sokka said, perplexed.

Zuko continued quoting the elderly twins: "Like waves washing away the footprints on the sand, Ember Island gives everyone a clean slate. Ember Island reveals the true you."

Sokka continued to looked questioningly at the prince. "It's something Lo and Li said to me once when I visited here.

"And Lo and Li are…"

"Two really old twins with saggy—" Zuko stopped himself. "It doesn't really matter. But they were right. It does reveal the true you."

"Let's hope this clean slate will help us all out," Sokka said, half to himself. "Some of us could really use it."

Zuko couldn't decide if Sokka was talking about him. But he let it go. Ruffling the water tribe boys hair, he started back to the house, only to be tackled from behind. Laughing, the rolled down the shore, getting wet as the waves crashed over them as they struggled.

"Stupid sand," Toph lamented, getting up off the floor and finally crawling into her bed. "So _blurry_. I can't see a thing!"

* * *

The 6th Moment takes place after the end of Chapter 17: "The Ember Island Players."

Sokka's feelings about Yue are brought to the surface by the play, as are Zuko's own insecurities and anxieties about what lies ahead. But they will face it together.

* * *

Zuko was surprised to find Sokka in his room when he returned from a walk along the beach. After the play, he needed some time alone with his thoughts. It had brought up a lot of old feelings he thought he had successfully suppressed. Zuko sat down on the edge of the bed next to Sokka and waited. When Sokka reached up and let down his hair, Zuko smiled, and took it as his cue.

"What's wrong?"

"That play was stupid."

Zuko laughed. "Yeah, you did look pretty stupid."

"We all looked pretty stupid."

Zuko nodded. "Is Suki mad?"

Sokka nodded. "I don't know why. She just seemed kind of distant once we got back."

"Probably because of the way you were sobbing during the Yue part."

Sokka furrowed his brow. "_Oh_, I guess that would make sense."

"She looked pissed when you shushed her during that part," Zuko informed him, trying not to sound as amused as he felt.

"It just is _still_ a big deal for me," Sokka lamented.

"No, I get it. She's always there, reminding you of what you can't have. It would be a terrible feeling."

Sokka nodded. "And she was really, _really_ pretty. The actress wasn't pretty, but Yue was _really_ pretty."

"I wouldn't tell that part to Suki."

Sokka agreed.

"I _guess_ I'm glad you're a good guy…" Sokka confessed, glancing at his nails in what Zuko assumed was an attempt at acting casual.

"Why's that?"

"Aang is not very good at giving advice."

"He is like twelve years old."

"Doesn't that make your old obsession with him just a _wee_ bit creepier?" Sokka asked, giving Zuko a sidelong glance.

Zuko laughed and punched Sokka in the shoulder.

"Hey, what was that for?"

"Toph said that's how she show's affection," Zuko said, punching Sokka again. "I kind of like it."

"Well, stop liking me so much then," Sokka said, rolling away, dodging another one of Zuko's punches.

"Too late." Another punch to Sokka's thigh. "I already like you a lot."

Toph smiled with self-satisfaction as she walked past Zuko's room. _I could be a matchmaker._

* * *

Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed reading these short stories. I got the inspiration for these little moments when I thought, "If I were Toph and could see what's going on around me, walls or not, I would be pretty nosy." Please leave a review if you feel so inclined. This is my first story, so I appreciate any feedback. (^^;;)


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